Insomniac
by Galaxius
Summary: Drama. Wally is in danger. He became an insomniac the night that Raquel disappeared. He should've stopped her, been there more for her, but weeks go by without a sign of her. Soon his life is swallowed up by searching for her. Then more members go missing and all hell breaks loose. When Wally is the last one, can he save his friends?
1. ONE

**..::..** _Insomniac __**.**_**.::..**

* * *

1

**The streets screamed chaos. **By now Raquel (Rocket) should've been used to it; after all she grew up on the hard slums of Detroit. Where she went to school, gang bangers ruled, girls specialized in getting pregnant and the smart kids in high school where the ones with intelligence greater than fourth grade. Noise and cursing came with the territory.

But not this.

The protestors were chanting numerous death threats against mutants and aliens, complaining that the government turned their backs on the "normal" citizens because they didn't lock up each and every mutant and allowed them to stay in society. Some went as far as pulling their kids out of schools that took in students with special powers, but now the violence was at an all time high and just to keep it under control, no one with powers were legally able to be on any educational school grounds.

It was great and all that Batman had opened his massive mansion to keep "gifted" students educated, but past the safety of the mansion—it was every mutant and alien for themselves.

It enraged her to hear them shout: "Destroy mutants or destroy the government! Elect Gordon Grimes for a pure city!"

Raquel cupped her hands over her ears to silence the noise, but the only thing better to focus on was the calculus textbook open on the worn wooden table, "You and I aren't so different, Calc. I don't want to do you, and well you, you obviously don't want to get done making yourself all complicated like this," she said after staring for a few moments without any success.

Raquel slammed the textbook shut, mewled and stretched, then rose to her feet. It was hours after school and in her exhaustion and heat, she had stripped down to a small T-shirt and tiny shorts, so she slipped on a white summer dress with blue pinstripes and her small, brown boots, swinging a jacket over her shoulder as she headed for the door. She would be early for work, several hours early. She supposed she could waitress during that time, it didn't bother her.

When she opened the door, she was met with a hand slamming down on the door pane. "Where do you think you're going?" Wally asked. What? How? When did he get there? She had a suspicion he had been waiting for her for a while by the impatient look on his face.

"I got cramped in there, I'm going out for a walk," she told him, though she didn't consider it any of his business.

His eyes had a disbelieving look to them, "Where are you really going, Rocky?" he leaned against the door pane like he owned it.

Her eyes flashed anger, "What did I tell you about calling me that? We aren't friends as far as I'm concerned."

He ignored that, and invaded her room. "I…saw you last night. You snuck out."

Raquel faked a look of shock and clasped her hands to her heart. "Oh, please don't tell anyone!"

"It's not that I care much or anything," he mumbled, not exactly meeting her eyes, "but you didn't come home for a while."

"What are you doing, keeping tags on me?" Raquel spat, her hand rose to her hip. "Leave me alone, Wally, I mean it."

"If you need spending money, or anything, I got you. Just ask me."

Raquel's eyes widened and her fingers bit into her palm as a fist. "Just shut up," she crossed her arms in contempt. Who did he think he was, anyway? "Just go—"

"I saw you go into that strip club." He expected her to punch him, which he could easily dodge; he just didn't think she would come back into the room and close them in.

"I-It's not what you think," Raquel said, her voice trying not to tremble, "Really, Wally."

His cheeks blazed with heat. How could he tell her without offending her that he had seen her close to naked? No, no, it was definitely best she didn't know that. He decided to shrug. "I'm not blackmailing you, or anything. As a guy trying to be nice, I'm just sayin' that's not the best sort of job you want."

"And how the hell do you know what I want?" she was sick of every male she comes across trying to tell her how to live her life and swallowing her life up in their giant hands. She had barely any freedom away from her uncle Icon—she certainly didn't need Wally's say-so on what a respectable job was. While most seniors were getting paid minimum wage at some burger joint, she brought home hundreds, not feeding off of Icon's skimpy allowance—she felt like a woman on that stage. Tears came to her eyes, and she rarely cried.

Wally mistook it for shame, and came up close to her. "I'm not going to tell—"

"Good, then get out," she felt like she would break into tears. If anyone found out…she caught his arm before he left the room. "Wait."

"Yeah?" he asked, his hand ready to fish into his pocket and help her pay for anything she needed.

"How did you know about…?" she didn't want to admit anything out loud.

"I was on a midnight run, I couldn't think, and…um…yeah," she knew the rest and nodded. He stuck his hands in his tan skinny jean pockets. "Like I said before, I'm not a snitch. You're secret is safe with me," his smile was electric.

She felt her stomach roll. She needed to know, "How much did you see?"

Wally flushed, almost the same color as his hair, making him look closer to an alien than a human with special abilities. "Well, you're definitely a D-cup."

Raquel looked away from him, terribly embarrassed. She let her fingers slip from his sleeve, and the next thing she knew he grabbed her wrist and pulled her in for a hug. He rested his chin on her head, "Huh, didn't think you were so short."

Raquel stepped on his toe, "Hey! I'm not _short_, you're just a tall runner," she joked. She needed to be on his good side, he was likely to not betray her that way, not to mention her saying she didn't consider him her friend. "About what I said earlier…"

"It's cool," he smiled, releasing her from the hug. "Life gets stressful and girls are born cranky once a month, I get it," he grinned. Raquel gave him a small smile and thanked him.

"Maybe I can help you get a job," he offered.

"Maybe," she said, though she wasn't planning to give up the well-paying nights at _Lusty's Gentleman's Club. _"I think I really will take that walk now, you know, to clear my mind and all."

"One more thing before you go."

"Yeah?"

"If you need money—"

Raquel chewed the inside of her cheek, a look of annoyance hot on her face. She combed her fingers through her dark brown hair, running her fingers over a small clip that kept her sweeping bang out of her eyes. She blew: "I'm fine Wally."

"Okay, okay," he waved defensively, "I'll take your word for it."

And as easily as that, she slipped right through his fingers and out into the streets.

* * *

**At Flash's Apartment**

Artemis put her slender hand across his chest, "You did the right thing, Wally."

It was late and the only thing to satiate his bottomless stomach was the instant noodles cooking on the stove. Though he had told Raquel he wouldn't tell, Artemis knew something was up when she caught him leaving her room and wouldn't stop questioning and threatening him until it all spilled out like a sack of rice split open by a knife.

_Mmm…rice….with Mongolian beef, ah….if only._

"Did I?" he asked with only half his attention, he yawned and his stomach growled again. "I'm starving."

Artemis looked pointedly at him. "Of course you did the right thing, Wally. For all you know you stopped her life from spiraling out of control. If it weren't for you, she'd go on thinking she has to take her clothes off just for a guy to glance at her or give her money," Artemis frowned at the thought.

Wally blinked, "I guess," he ran his hand down her sides with a roguish smile. "Do you want to treat me for being such a good boy?"

Artemis snorted: "Hardly," she got off of him and moved from the couch to the stove to check on the noodles, willing them with her eyes to warm faster. "I'm too hungry…for food," she finished before he could get anything clever in. She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulders and pulled it back so she could see the noodles bubble at eye level.

"Do you think she really gave it up?" Artemis asked as she dumped in the ramen packet sauce and stirred.

Wally shrugged, "How am I supposed to know?" he got off the couch and over to the kitchen. "I mean, probably not right away, but with time, yeah, I think she'll stop."

Artemis looked furtively at him, "Want to check tonight?"

"Not really."

Artemis scoffed and crossed her arms, "What happened to being a 'nice guy that just cares'?"

Wally stared at the noodles as he said, "She's a big girl, Art. She'll kill me if she knows I followed again."

"So it's just one more topless night and hours of pole dancing for her?"

"What do you want me to do, call Icon on his personal cell and tell on her? I told her I wouldn't."

"You told me, Wally," Artemis said, pulling the ready noodles out of the water, making his attention snap to the food instantly.

"Yeah, but I trust you—she trusts you—so I know you won't say anything."

Artemis rolled her eyes, her stomach uncontrollably pained with the steamy, delicious smell. She slopped the slimy dinner into bowls, finishing the pot all at once. If the grocery stores weren't so packed with protestors she could barely keep from wanting to pulverize to shreds, she would've bought more food.

She poked her food with a fork, careful not to eat it too hot, but Wally slurped away sloshing the soup and noodles down his throat with an upturned bowl. She clucked her tongue, "How can I love such a barbarian?"

He winked at her, and in a few moments he licked his lips and belched. "Excuse me."

Wally collapsed back onto the couch, his stomach content for now and his mind happy. Artemis began to eating, sitting on the coffee table parallel to him. She crossed her legs and scooped in a few mouthfuls before saying: "We should do something—like an intervention or something."

"No way! She'll definitely know it's me and to quote her she doesn't even think of me as a friend. I'd drop to her enemy in a heartbeat."

"We can't sit here and do nothing," Artemis said with her mouth full, "I won't sit back and let her degrade herself like that. Neither should you as her team mate, Walls."

Wally thought for a moment, "Give me time to talk her out of it, Art. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know."

"Whatever," Artemis rolled her eyes, finishing the bowl quicker than she thought she would. She scraped around the bowl with her fork. "She still needs help, and as soon as possible, I say."

"You say a lot of things, Art, but my favorite are the midnight nothings after—"

"Shut up!" a blush attacked her cheeks and she threw her empty bowl at him, gripping her fork to prove she would have no reserves using that next if he said something else. "This is serious."

"Don't you think I know that, I was just short of calling my Grandpa for advice," Wally said, "Though in his days there were far less strippers," he touched his bottom lip in thought.

Artemis sighed, "Just keep this between us, okay?"

"It'd be a hypothetical talk with him, you know the 'I have a friend-of-a-friend' talk. No names required."

"I know, but adults might over react, Wally. Next thing you know she could be kicked off the Team."

Wally's eyes widened. "I hadn't thought of that…"

Artemis tapped her forehead, "Well you got to. We have to smart about this; just going up to her like you did was pretty stupid thinking about it. Now she'll be even more secretive about it. You should've came to me about it, girls connect better on that sort of thing."

Wally turned on his side, away from her, and yawned. "I'll keep that in mind next time."

Artemis sighed, picking up both of their bowls and headed to the kitchen to wash them. How could he just fall asleep knowing Rocket was probably out there misrepresenting the Team and not wanting to stop it? First thing in the morning, she decided, she would confront Rocket about it the hard way.

* * *

_**Lusty's **_

Raquel had her second private show of the night, and as much as she liked getting paid double, when she saw who her client was, she had to try hard not to frown. The red light was dimmed romantically and the small room was decorated with warm, tan walls and tiny lanterns with a giant, used bed smack dab in the middle of it and a wooden chair off to the side.

He sat in the chair.

Raquel could remember how a few months ago she got nervous whenever she was brought to private rooms knowing what a lot of the males expected, but she drew the line between prostitute and stripper clearly and referred them to someone else if they really wanted _it_.

She didn't automatically assume he wanted _it_, but she still asked in a sultry voice, "What are you in the mood for?"

Her jacket fell behind her feet, and she was going to work up her dress, but his hand rose. "You can keep your clothes on, sunshine. I just need to see one thing."

Raquel's eyebrow rose. Did he know where he was, did he miss the huge moving sign of a half naked women lifting her leg up and down with _Lusty's _above her butt? "Huh," Raquel clicked. "What is it then?"

The man wasn't old by any means, but he looked closer to his mid-forties than most of the younger guys that usually stop by. His dark black hair is peppered with dark grey. His light blue eyes looked as if they could turn menacing at any moment or electrify into a smile. She relaxed a bit when he smiled.

"I want to see your powers."

"Excuse me?" she was nervous now. Was he one of those violent protestors who would try to kill her if he knew she had powers and claim that he's ridding the streets of 'impurity'?

"Your powers are lovely, you do have them, don't you?" he said it like he already knew the answer. He stood up and stepped forward. Raquel noticed he wore a nice Sunday button up long sleeve shirt and black slacks into dark military boots that glinted. He smiled again, "The sooner we can get through with this—" he checked his expensive watch "—the sooner your life will change for the better."

"Look, _mister_, we don't do that here. If you want that kind of show, snoop by some major trouble that the guys with powers clean up—"

His smile grew, revealing neat, clean teeth. "Sweetie, you don't need to be afraid, it will be our little secret."

How many people will say that to her today alone? She hated sharing secrets, so when she crossed her arms and scowled, she didn't changing her mind. "I'm sorry, but no."

"But you do have powers, don't you?" he stepped closer and she stepped back. With just his eyes he turned the lock behind her. Raquel took in a deep breath and when she tried to turn the door knob—it didn't budge. "What gives? If you make a move a guard is always close to kick you out."

"That won't be necessary, dear," he had her against the wall, his hand caressing her soft, dark cocoa skin. "but I'm afraid I will have to go to a greater lengths to have you show me what I paid for."

Raquel's eye brows furrowed before he slammed her against the wall, lifting her up by a fist scrunched with her summer dress. She clasped her hand over his, kicking, but it felt like her black stilettos was hitting metal. She felt like an idiot for leaving her boots in her locker at the back. She cursed quietly and tried to bring her leg up higher to hit him, but he only hurtled her to the floor.

She felt the wind knock out of her all at once when her chest hit the ground. She rolled over and a shattering lantern nearly splintered into her eyes. She rolled again, her back hitting the bed that curled around to swallow her up. Her knees moved closer to her chest without her will as the wooden bed frame broke apart from the bed to swallow her in a box before she could blink. She slammed her shoulder against the wall, the air already gone from the tight squeeze, but soon she couldn't move any part of her body, hyperventilating for air.

_Don't give him what he wants, Rocket._

She squeezed her eyes tight, gasping in one big breath as her knees pressed harder and harder against her burning, aching chest. She considered screaming for help, but knew the air would just flee her as her knees reached her throat, shoving against it.

_Shit._

She felt the world slip for one terrifying moment and before she could clutch it back, the box exploded.

She stumbled to her feet, gripping a nearby post, looking wildly for the man. She was heaving for breath with one eye closed, as if she had ran a tremendous marathon without a sip of water. When she saw him again, the box wall hovered just half an inch from his face, stopped in midair.

He took in a big breath, and exhaled: "Exquisite."

Rocket slumped to the floor, knowing she had broken open the box. Her forehead touched the ground, her body hunched over and her fists hitting the ground. When she heard his boot hit the ground, she nearly shot at him without self control, wanting to destroy him for what he had forced her into.

He crouched down, "Are you ashamed of your gift—" Rocket clutched his throat before he could anticipate it. He yanked her wrist off and shoved it to the ground. "Don't be angry with me," his voice was apologetic, sincere, "I did it for you."

"For me?" Rocket growled, glaring silver bullets into his eyes.

"Yes," he whispered softly, with impossible smoothness, relaxing her shoulders and lowering her eye lids in almost a sleep-like trance where she wanted to curl up to him and escape the pain she felt.

"You must believe me; I did not mean to hurt you. It was necessary for your freedom."

The worst thing was that she believed him. Her will fell away in less than a snap and her forehead rested on his shoulder, no better than a exhausted infant.

"Don't you want your freedom?" he murmured, running his hand through her hair.

Rocket nodded, resting her fingers on his knee.

"Then come with me. I'll give you a brand new identity—free to be your own woman. You'd have endless opportunities with me, and be surrounded by our kind. Would you like that?" he asked, kissing her forehead consolingly, running the tips of his fingers across her temple, healing a wound from earlier.

"Y…yes," Rocket had to admit how good the deal sounded. "What do I have to do?"

"Just be loyal to me—to your new organization—be honest with yourself and me at all times. Can you do that?"

Rocket nodded, her eyes fixed in nowhere in particular, just hollow.

"Good," he finished, helping her stand up. "Well you'll never have to strip again—unless you want to of course—get your things…" he trailed off, blinking. "I can hardly believe my inconsiderate manners. What is your name, love?"

"Rock—" she shook her head. "Raquel."

"Well, Raquel, my dearest. You will absolutely love where we're going, I promise." He smiled smoothly, kissing the top of her head and taking her hand. "But I need you to trust me. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes….but how long will I be gone?" Raquel remembered the Team. "I have training tomorrow."

"You certainly do, but not where you think," his eyes were alluring and he seemed to be the most trustworthy human alive to her. She wanted to kiss him, she wanted to love him, she didn't even think of how old he must be—she felt attracted to him. She bent to pick up her jacket, and they were gone.

* * *

**A/N: Please review, I really want to hear what you think. I know there are grammar mistakes and all, but I wrote it very fast. When I have time, I'll edit. **


	2. TWO

_**a/n: I cut the first chapter in half and added more to the second. **_

_..::..Insomniac..::.._

_2_

**The Next Morning, CENTRAL CITY, 4:30AM:  
**

**Yawning, Wally pounded on the door for the fifth time that morning. **He was practically slumped against the door, cursing himself for waking up at such an ungodly hour just to speak with Raquel.

"Rocket?" he called. This time, being weary that she could just be ignoring him, opened the door cautiously. "Shit…"

The room looked no different than the previous afternoon, but there was no sign that Raquel had been sleeping or even came back to her room last night. "Shit, shit, shit!"

He went inside her room, hoping to find anything among her things that could contradict his idea that she was still at that strip joint. He emptied out her backpack and put everything back with meticulous care, opening each note and post-it. He searched under her bed and mattress and found where she hid her money, but nothing more. He bit his lip, carefully opening her private drawers when he heard—

"Wally, what are you doing?"

Caught, Wally his head slowly and felt simultaneously disappointed and happy to see Artemis standing there with her arms crossed and a frown on her lips. Disappointed because it hadn't been Raquel, and happy because Artemis could help. He laughed sheepishly, "It's not what you think. Really, Art, I'm looking for Rocket."

"Uh-huh," she clicked her tongue, "Is she in her underwear drawer?"

Wally closed the small compartment with another round of nervous laughter. "Of course not, I'm just looking for clues."

"Clues?" she echoed, "For what?"

Wally gestured around the room. "She didn't come back from last night."

Artemis's cerulean orbs opened wide, she uncrossed her arms and walked into the room. She swallowed, "You're sure?"

"I've only just started searching for something—"

"We need to go to the rest of the Team about this, Wally," Artemis turned, but Wally rushed to catch her arm.

"You can't!"

"Why?" she tried to free her arm, but he held it firm, a desperate look in his eyes. Her eyes set, her voice hard and accusing, "Why not Wally?"

He eased away from her a bit. "I told her I wouldn't tell. What if she comes back and has the whole Team looking at her all different, Art? That's embarrassing for her and I'd be all my fault."

"You didn't force her clothes off and shove her onto a pole did you?" Artemis asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, no—but Artemis! Artemis listen me, I'll find her myself."

"No! We have to go to M'gann or Nightwing, you can run around town all day, but that's not going to solve anything."

And so they did, though Wally did his best to let Artemis do most of the talking.

If anyone was the most shocked—it was M'gann, who looked as if Artemis revealed that Rocket was a serial kitten killer. Her dark purplish-blue orbs were blown wide and her head came down in shock, a strand of red fall in front of her eyes, mouth agape, she practically shouted: "A stripper?"

"Shh!" Artemis closed her hand over M'gann's mouth tight. "Shut up, will you? Do you want the whole mansion to know?"

M'gann nodded, and when her mouth was available again, she whispered: "A stripper?"

Wally felt a dark flush cross his cheeks. He had left out the part about him seeing how fluidly she moved with barely any clothes on and how effortless she worked with a pole a booming music.

He cleared his throat, answering M'gann. "Yes."

"Just try and find her M'gann, please. This is only between the three of us, alright?" Artemis said sternly, knowing how loose the girl's mouth tended to be, especially around Conner. M'gann nodded and crossed her legs beneath her lap as she sat in the chair, her eyes turning white.

"You didn't have to tell her about the stripper thing," Wally hissed.

"Yeah, well she'd just enter our minds about it anyway," Artemis said, waiting for M'gann's eyes to flash alive and tell them where she was, but soon M'gann was frowning. Artemis exchanged looks with Wally. When M'gann collapsed back into the chair, she took in a loud gasp. "I can't hear her voice anywhere!"

"Stop joking," Wally said, waiting for a smile to pop on her lips and an answer to where Raquel was.

Tears bubbled to her eyes; M'gann shook her head, took her fingers to her temples and tried again.

"Oh no," Artemis whispered, her shaking hands reaching her mouth.

"Don't think the worst," Wally snapped, impatient for the second try to work. But when M'gann repeated her dramatic throw into reality, she burst into sobs. Wally took her shoulders, shaking her, "What is it?"

"I-I really can't find her!" she exclaimed.

"Stop fucking around, and tell us!" Wally shouted, shaking her harder. "Is she knocked out or what?"

"No, I'd-I'd be able to reach her if she was, I could even wake her, but-but—" a whimper grew into another fit of tears. Wally let her go, anxiety rushing in and out of him as he fought with his mind about what it could've happened.

"What does that mean?" he whispered.

"Wally…" M'gann shuddered, not speaking for a while. "Her…her mind is gone."

"Gone? Like—"

"Like Rocket's dead?" Artemis said for him, tears choking her words. M'gann's lips trembled and she fumbled: "Y-yeah, l-like that."

Wally grabbed two fistfuls of her shirt in his hands and lifted her off her feet. "She can't be gone and you can't find her body! Where is—"

"What are you doing, Wally?" Artemis heatedly whispered. "Stop it!"

"What's going on here?" Conner's voice boomed into the room. M'gann's head snapped to him. Wally's eyes were furious; he grabbed her jaw for her to face him. "Look at _me_, where is Rocket?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Conner yelled sliding his arm around M'gann's waist and shoving Wally's hand away from her. He wanted to pummel Wally, but he knew M'gann wouldn't like it and wouldn't talk to him for days for not controlling himself better. "Well?" he asked with hot anger on his face.

"C-Conner," Artemis spoke up, tears in her eyes, "Rocket's g—missing." She kept herself from saying 'gone' because it looked as if Wally would erupt.

"I'll find her myself," he took off before anyone could call him back.

"What?" Conner whispered.

"I c-can't reach her," M'gann fled to his chest, crumbling in his arms.

"What do you mean? Where'd she go?"

It sunk in slowly the depth of her absence, and his voice strained as he asked: "_How_?"

All Artemis could do was shrug, before toughening, "All's not lost right? She **has** to be somewhere—right?" she whispered beneath her breath. "She has to…"

* * *

**Rome, New York**

Raquel stepped out of the steaming shower, quickly grabbing her towel, ironically not nearly as comfortable walking around nude with the other strangers. The other girls barely noticed her other than there was another free shower open.

Raquel could barely remember how she'd gotten there other than in a slick, new car with an older man who paid for a private session but instead had her show her powers and join him—which she did blindly. She thought a quick shower would help her clear her mind, but instead of finding her clothes she found a uniform of a crisp, athletic all black long sleeves paired with black, tight pants into sleek, black boots. Each had a white symbol of a snake head eating fire.

She was reluctant to dress with so many eyes wandering around the room—all of them stopping to check out the new recruit. Raquel slipped on a shirt and bent over the sink to splash water on her face when she saw an elbow lean against the pristine table.

"I thought I saw a new face," the girl said, cupping Raquel's chin to get a better look, turning it left then right. "You look so _city_."

What was that supposed to mean?

The girl looked about her age, maybe half a year to a year older, or so. She had reddish-orange hair with two sharp bangs lining the side of her heart shaped face, her light tan peppered with tiny freckles. Her eyes were the color of rain bleeding into light violet surrounded by thick, black lashes, her face complimented with soft, pink lips. She wore her hair in a long side braid, and had on a short dark green jacket rolled up at the sleeves with gloves and a white shirt underneath. She had a friendly look on, and a fresh smile, "The name's Alaice Summers, but most folks 'round here call me Alice or Ace, pick your fancy. Only Blaize calls me by my given name. You met Blaize yet?"

"Is he older looking?" Raquel asked, feeling more comfortable around her.

"Nah," she scrunched her nose a bit, "He's _eternally young,_" she said theatrically, "but really his body stays young for much longer than you and me and all the humans. But it seems like you met Nash, you'll like him, everyone does. His power kind of demands it 'cause he can bend objects and humans to his will. Not like 'I-will-serve-you' robot stuff but more like 'I'm-falling-under-your-spell' type." Even her voice was beautiful and young.

"Where is this place anyhow?"

Alaice furrowed her brows, "Blaize didn't tell you? It's an underground dome-thing, tough to explain actually. It keeps others from contacting telepathically like, you know, the bad guys and whatnot—or people working for the government being forced to track us. We're all refugees here, except maybe you, but I know you have a story—everyone here does. Most of it is anti-normal humans, but I'm not, leastwise I don't mind them so much. Hey, you going to put on your pants or what? Don't let me keep you, but it's fine if you don't want to."

"Oh," Raquel had been so enraptured, she hadn't noticed.

"Right, so wash up your face or whatever you were going to do, and I'll give you the grand tour."

"That won't be necessary, Ace," another girl in uniform came up, her dark blue hair wrapped in a towel. "Blaize gave me the task bright and early this morning."

"Did he give her a room yet? Mine's free."

"I have only one task and that's it, he didn't tell me to show her to her room, nor do I know where that is," the blue haired female answered her voice professional and clear, like a soldier. When her dark eyes met Raquel's, she asked: "Are you ready, Raquel—or do you prefer Rocket?"

"That's her old name, June," Alaice complained. "She needs a new name if she wants, like a whole new identity. No point in starting fresh if you got the same old name."

June ignored her, removing the towel from her hair, fixing it into a ponytail, and pinning her ponytail backwards and up. "Well?"

Raquel's always liked the name 'Rocket', it helped as her alter ego whenever she needed an escape, Rocket understood Raquel's pain of being a mutant—she's been with her since the third grade. Considering that Rocket was an image of her old, younger self she could be left alive in her heart, but it made sense to start from scratch with a fresh name. Raquel could remain constant, but she _did_ feel like she needed a new name.

A pregnant silence passed by until she just shrugged. "Call me Raquel, for now, until I can think of something totally cool."

"Alright, Raquel, are you ready to move out? This is your Independence Day, may you always remember the day: August 15th, 2014."

The room erupted with cheers and the girls flooded over like a sudden tsunami, and it felt like the shaking ground would break from the pressure. Raquel hardly noticed it, she had never felt so regret-less and free and…well…_happy._

Alaice slipped her arm around Raquel, a fox grin on her face. "Consider yourself one of us."

What 'us' was, Raquel didn't truly know, but she liked it.

* * *

**Flash's Apartment**

"How could you be so reckless?" Nightwing demanded. His face seemed calm on the outside, but his voice sounded strong with rage. Wally had confessed that for a full half day he'd known Raquel was missing, but didn't report it for hours.

Wally felt like he was drowning without sight of the top of the water, just six feet buried in a torrent of water. His heart ached to be mended up, but for now it was buzzing with anxiety and broken pieces. His head was in his hands and all he could repeat was: "I should've known, I should've taken care of her." He sat hunched over, his elbows on his knees, head down.

Artemis tried to console him and strengthen him with promises of finding Rocket as soon as possible, but each statement of determination was met with a new doubt.

What if someone kidnapped her?

What if the civilians that hated mutants caught her and had her tortured?

What if she was—

Artemis shook her head. "You can't blame yourself solely for this Wally—"

A tear slipped down his cheek. He gripped his fists tight. "Don't—don't give me that, Art. I-I could've…saved her—I _should've—God it's all my fault!"_ tears flowed more freely, hitching his voice.

Artemis wrapped her arms around him, letting him cry in her chest, and putting her cheek on top of his head. Tears rolled down her cheek and plopped into his dark orange hair. "I'm so…_so_ sorry, Walls."

He unwrapped himself from her arms, "Sorry won't bring her back. I wish I had a hint—just _one._"

"Enough with feeling sorry for ourselves," Nightwing interrupted, looking around the room at the members, "Are we going to put our best effort finding her as quickly as possible, or what?"

Wally sniffed, drying his tears and agreeing.

"Okay," Nightwing sat down. "Now tell me what you know."

Artemis and Wally exchanged looks. Wally put his head down, opening his mouth to tell them the secret he promised not to tell when Artemis cut in. "Raquel was leaving for a walk."

"That's all, nothing specific, like how far she was going?"

"It's assumed she was going nearby," Artemis said.

"I can search street cameras then, try and trace her pattern of where she's been," Nightwing said. "I might be able to catch any suspicious characters following her or lurking around, and definitely track them down."

He didn't mean anything by what he said, but Wally swallowed nervously anyway, feeling sweat form on his temples. What would Nightwing think when he would see Wally following Raquel to her 'late-night' job? Part of him just wanted to get over the embarrassment for both Raquel and him, but he said he wouldn't tell.

_But you already told one person, idiot,_ he thought. _How much more is a few people?_

"She's a stripper," Wally said quickly.

"What was that Flash, I couldn't hear you?" Nightwing turned him, almost positive he heard the blur of a few words leave his mouth, it sounded like fast static.

"Raquel…"

"Yes?"

"Is a stripper,"' Wally finished.

"What?" Nightwing looked around and the only one who seemed surprised out of the five (Artemis, Wally, Nightwing, M'gann, and Conner) of them was Conner.

"She is?" Conner and Nightwing asked simultaneously.

"Look, it's not a big deal," Artemis said in Raquel's defense, "Everyone has to have a life outside of YJ, shit happens, get over it."

Nightwing struggled with the concept, not wanting the images of his friend dancing near naked in flashing lights, money being thrown at her as she slides up and down poles. But, Conner's eye brows furrowed and he looked directly at the Flash, "How do _you_ know this?"

"She…um…confided in me," he whispered, feeling guilty for lying on her and lying to her about keeping it between them.

Conner scoffed: "Yeah right, more like you followed her didn't you?"

"Shut up!" heat scattered across Wally's whole face. He muttered, "It's not like I _meant_ to anyway. Artemis is more than enough for me."

"Did you follow her the night she went missing?" Nightwing said more seriously.

"No, the day before," Wally responded. "I saw her sneaking out…and—I was curious was all. I didn't know I'd find out what I did."

"So she knows you know?" Nightwing asked.

"Yes!" Wally said defensively.

Nightwing looked to be thinking: "Was she upset by it?"

"A little, not like bawling or anything."

He had that look of thought on his face again. "Maybe she ran away…you know, out of embarrassment?"

M'gann spoke up. "I would be able to find her if she did—it's weird, though—I can't even find her body. It's like she disappeared right off this earth—"

"Don't say that!" Wally exploded. "If you weren't so incompetent maybe she'd be here right now—"

"Don't talk to her like that," Conner hissed.

"What's the use of having a telepathic if she can't even—"

"I mean it," Conner's voice threatened.

"Wally…" Artemis said softly, her hand on M'gann's shoulder, the alien looking gloomy and sorrowful.

Wally sighed. "I-I'm sorry. It's just that—"

"I get it," M'gann said, looking at him. "You really care for her; she'll all over your thoughts. We're all worried."

"Is your reach intergalactic?"

"Only when I'm speaking with my uncle," M'gann answered sadly, "Other than that—no. It's too much space to cover."

"Then we'll have to do it right here on earth first," Wally said, looking to Nightwing to pick up.

"I'll be checking surveillance, how about Flash and Artemis work the streets nearby for anything suspicious or helpful, Conner and M'gann could use a bigger scope, traveling out of the city by airship and telepathic connections."

"Sounds like a plan, so agreed we contact M'gann if we find anything?" Artemis said, but Flash took off before much more was agreed upon. Her shoulders slumped a bit, and she looked fragile for a moment. "Let's find her you guys…not just for Raquel—but for his sake. He's really been beating himself up for this."

"We will find her, she safe, I just know it," M'gann said optimistically.

"The question is then: where is she?" Nightwing said, and by the looks on everyone's faces, no one had a clue.

* * *

**Rome, New York**

Alaice grabbed a fistful of the Chex Mix, "So you got a boyfriend, or what, back home?" she stuffed it in her mouth, bits of it bouncing off her leg and onto the bed.

"It was something more of a crush, really—but the guy went rogue and teamed with this totally evil guy, leaving me high and dry like I never existed," Raquel could still the pinch of it tighten around her heart.

Alaice whistled, eyes wide enjoying the dramatic story as Raquel spilled it. When Raquel finished, she took a scoop of ice cream and ate its cold sweetness to distract the emotion from finding its way to her eyes. Alaice changed the subject, "So I've always had bottom bunk, but since you're all new and stuff, you can have your pick."

"Top bunk is fine," Rocket said, "though I never really shared a room with anyone before."

Alaice grinned. "You'll like me for a roommate, promise. Though some nights I can stay up talking forever, I'm a great listener or talker, depending on what you are in the mood to do," the sharp ends of her dark auburn-orange hair was free from its earlier French braid and the wavy tresses freely flowed over breasts. "So what'd you think of the tour, probably wasn't nearly as cool as if I were to do it. I would've given you the low-down. Bet June didn't do much more than drone about the history of it and whatnot."

Raquel shrugged. "Why is everything egg-white or metallic, checkered or striped? The rooms are really cool especially the entertainment center and most people were nice about me being new, but I don't think this is really my thing. You guys have your own groove going; I'd hate to mess it up."

Alaice's right eye squinted for a second, "Raq—can I call you Raq?—you'll pick up soon enough. Leaving's not the best option, you see, it's kind of practically forbidden. Now I say practically because I don't know anyone who ever left, but we have so much freedom we probably could. Give it a chance, Raq."

Raquel actually _did_ mind that she called her Raq. It sounded too much like when Flash gets it into his head that their chummy and calls her Rocky. She didn't hate the Flash, or even dislike him, but they never really talked. It wasn't really fair to call them acquaintances either. So it made no sense for him to try and take control of what she could or couldn't do.

"Yeah," she sighed, "I guess I'll stay then."

* * *

**A/N: Please don't forget to review if you want more!**


End file.
